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Mulching is a frequently-used strategy to retain moisture and prevent weed growth in planting beds. A wide variety of natural materials, from shredded hardwoods to softwood nuggets, shield plants from weather and weeds while maintaining a natural look to planting beds. Inorganic materials include chopped rubber, plastic and stones. To be effective, however, mulch of all kinds may need protection to prevent its being washed away by heavy rain.

1

Base your choice of mulch on topographic considerations. Unshaded areas exposed to wind as well as rain need heavier-weight mulches than sheltered areas. So do sloped planting beds and those with thin soil. One of the main ways to keep mulch in place is to choose an adequately heavy weight. Shredded softwood, like pine, is prone to floating in flooding, as are straw and grass-clippings. Even heavy wood chips or nuggets do not stand up to water on steep slopes.

2

Cover weed-prone areas with non-slippery newspaper or kraft paper, rather than slippery plastic mulch-fabric. Capital District community gardeners recommend cutting drainage holes in the non-slippery covering as well. Organic mulch materials laid over the weed-suffocating paper layer are less susceptible to washout than they would be on even water-permeable slippery plastics.

3

Rake mulch so that it is thicker on the edge of a bed under trees or in the open. This edging will help to keep mulch from floating away in heavy rain. Surround the built-up edge with a 3 to 4-inch deep, 4 to 6-inch wide trench as a way to recapture flooded-out mulch.

Things You Will Need

Shredded hardwood or coarse softwood nugget mulch

Newspaper, kraft paper or sheet cardboard for weed control

Shovel

Rake

Wood, plastic, brick or other bed edging material, if desired

Tools to install edging

Tip

In some situations, edging a bed with commercial rubber or plastic edging, bricks or strips of lumber may be the best way to contain both soil and mulch. Because organic mulches lose volume with time, remember to extend your edging to the height of early-season mulch.

Warning

Mulching with gravel or stone chips seems a logical response to frequent runoff and may address your runoff issue. Remember, however, that stone mulch can also migrate into the lawn or other areas where power tools are used, presenting a danger to people and equipment.

About the Author

Janet Beal has written for various websites, covering a variety of topics, including gardening, home, child development and cultural issues. Her work has appeared on early childhood education and consumer education websites. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Harvard University and a Master of Science in early childhood education from the College of New Rochelle.